December 2010 Readback

LSA Fly-In To The Bahamas

By The Editors

PRODUCT PREVIEWS

‘Tis The Season

The 26th annual edition of Sporty’s Crystal Christmas Ornament features the Douglas DC-3. The year, 2010, marks the 75th anniversary of the DC-3’s first flight. A silhouette of the DC-3 is etched on the ornament and is attached to a ribbon for hanging on your tree. Customized ornaments also can be ordered with your choice of airplane silhouette, along with 20 characters of text, such as a name and tail number. Contact: Sporty’s, www.sportys.com.

Get Organized

Complete Lesson Plan Guides from Sporty’s are an all-in-one resource to help CFIs stay organized. The lesson plans, developed by CFIs at Sporty’s Academy, ensure that all topics are covered with each student. A detailed record of every lesson, with the student’s signature, will help to protect CFIs from future liability. Three titles integrate flight lessons (Training Course Outline), ground instruction (Ground Lesson Guide) and home study (PTS Study Guide). The plans are available for private pilot and instrument rating training. Contact: Sporty’s, www.sportys.com.

Exam Prep

The 2011 test prep books from ASA are now available. They include the FAA questions, explanations for all answers and references for all aircraft categories. The Fast-Track Test Guides for Aviation Maintenance Technicians prepare applicants for A&P certification. The Prepware software includes study and review modes, built-in timers, pop quizzes and full-length tests. The Virtual Test Prep, available in Blu-ray format, covers ground-school materials. You can choose from several study formats to find the method best suited to your learning style. Also available as apps for the iPhone and iPad. Contact: ASA, www.asa2fly.com.

Secure Your iPad

The MyClip Thigh uses clips and a faux-suede leg strap to position your iPad on your thigh for easy access and use in the cockpit. It can be positioned in both portrait and landscape modes. Its stabilizing straps allow for two-handed typing, and it fits over most iPad skins and many holders. Contact: TIET, www.tietco.com.

2011 FAR/AIM

ASA’s 2011 FAR/AIM series consolidates the FAA regulations and procedures into three easy-to-use reference books with information pertinent to pilots, flight crew and aviation maintenance technicians. The Aeronautical Information Manual is reformatted for greater readability, and the color graphics allow for straightforward interpretation. Changes are marked clearly for quick reference, and indexes provide access to the subject matter and paragraph number or regulation. The FAR/AIM and FAR for Flight Crew are available together in a single app for the iPhone and iPad, as is an FAR/AIM Flashcards app. Contact: ASA, www.asa2fly.com.

iPad & Android E6B

Sporty’s E6B iPhone app is now available for both the iPad and Google’s Android devices. Pilots can compute weight and balance or fuel problems, as well as make calculations that include top of descent, range and rate of climb. Easy conversions allow for pounds to gallons and gallons to pounds, and there’s a pop-up timer notification that can function even when the app is closed. Contact: Sporty’s, www.sportys.com.

Flight Timer

New features added to the Deluxe Timer from Sporty’s makes it simple to use and easy to read in flight. These include a dedicated zero button to quickly reset the timer to zero, an autoreset function that resets the timer to the last input time and two independent timers that have unique alarms. The clock displays 12-hour, 24-hour and Zulu time. Two red LEDs flash to announce timer expiration. A backlit screen complemented by lighted buttons makes night-viewing easy. The timer measures 3x2½x¾ inches. There’s also a protective sleeve with a clip for attaching the timer to kneeboards. Contact: Sporty’s, www.sportys.com.